THE GROWING NEED FOR POLICE CANINE UNITS

Taking a Closer Look At...

People who live in rural communities might not like to admit it, but
rural drug operations are on the rise. Increasingly, criminals are
turning to using guard dogs to protect those operations.

That's something OPP canine teams are now encountering on a regular
basis.

"We had a situation recently in Somerville Township where two German
Shepherds were guarding a growing operation," said OPP Canine handler
Const. Don Shearer. "Unfortunately, we had to shoot one of them."

Week Five of the OPP's Police and Community Together (PACT) program in
Fenelon Falls Oct. 13 hosted officers from both the canine unit and
the Emergency Response Team (ERT, given the two units often work
together. Constables Brad Rathburn and Terry Landreville represented
the ERT component.

Const. Shearer brought his dogs, Schafer, a German Shepherd, and
Rosie, a Labrador retriever, to show the audience the level of
training of a police service dog.

Const. Shearer has been an OPP officer for 22 years, largely as a
canine handler. The OPP has 27 canine teams and Const. Shearer is one
of 17 handlers who works with two dogs.

The officer pulled a small packet of marijuana from his pocket and hid
it before the big Shepherd was brought into the room. On command,
Schafer found the drug within minutes (after getting a laugh by
sniffing out the gear-laden OPP duffle bag first).

"He'd better not find any drugs in there," said Const. Shearer,
grinning.

"We do a lot of drug searches, in the schools, in the jails-there are
more drugs around here than you want to know," said the officer.

Schafer is trained in tracking, drug detection and disarming a
suspect. Rosie is a cadaver dog, trained to recover bodies on both
land and in water. Both dogs have been with Const. Shearer for several
years, living at his home and working with him every day.

The officer demonstrated the different harnesses and collars used on
the dogs. Schafer knows instinctively what job he will be doing by the
harness he wears, whether it is tracking or detection.

The dogs are rewarded for a job well done with their favourite chew
toy.

Rosie demonstrated her exceptional jumping ability, easily leaping
four feet in the air numerous times as if she was spring loaded-all to
get her toy.

"I have to warn you, Rosie is exuberant," said Const. Shearer. "She's
like this all the time. She is, however, an exceptional cadaver search
dog."

The canine units provide support for search and rescue (SAR)
operations, finding missing/wanted persons, and detecting narcotics,
physical evidence and explosives.

The dog/handler teams train for four months at the OPP's Canine
Training Centre in Gravenhurst, and return there every six weeks for a
week to continue honing their skills.

The handler is provided with the dog (it lives with the officer), a
credit card (for the dog's supplies and veterinary care) and a truck
equipped for both dog and handler. The vehicle also sports a 'hot
dog,' a device used during the summer. It's an alarm that sets off the
truck's lights and siren if the air conditioning malfunctions.

"Vancouver police lost two dogs to heat stroke when the air
conditioning broke down," said Const. Shearer. "The dogs stay in the
truck while not out working on the shift. So if the air conditioning
breaks down, the officer is alerted in time to save the animal."

Although dogs such as Schafer are trained in protection, as well, it
isn't often they are used to subdue a suspect.

"Usually, just the sight of the dog is enough. It is rare I have to
send the dog after someone," said Const. Shearer. "But he will protect
me; he is trained to do that no matter what. If I am threatened, he
will protect me. And he is very capable of disarming someone who has a
gun or a knife."

Canine teams now have to deal with criminals in the drug trade using
dogs for protection of property.

"You'll see German Shepherds, pit bulls-these people don't want anyone
snooping around their properties. But I wouldn't send Schafer into
something like that. It would just degenerate into a dogfight and
accomplish nothing."

That was why the dog in Somerville Township was shot and
killed.

An interesting point of canine recruitment is that the OPP (unlike
many police forces that spend thousands of dollars on police dogs)
often get their dogs for nothing.

"We might buy a dog once in awhile, but we find them at the pound, or
someone will let us know of someone who has a dog they'd like to
donate. The dogs go through a series of tests to see if they have what
it takes. They have to have very stable temperaments; they can't be
nuts. Only about one in 50 has what it takes. But we've been
successful in retraining some excellent dogs."

A canine team is on call 24/7, and officers must have at least five
years' service before they can apply to the unit. They must be in
exceptional physical condition, able to keep up with their dogs in all
kinds of weather and conditions.

"It's long hours and physically very demanding, this job, the same as
the ERT guys," said Const. Shearer. He added the demands of both
canine and ERT units take a heavy toll on the officers.

"It's because of guys like this," he said, gesturing at his fellow
officers, "their dedication and putting their families second;
sometimes we feel taken for granted. But when you get out there and
find a missing child, or track down a really dangerous bad guy, it's
all worth it. That feeling makes it all worthwhile."

The two ERT officers grinned across the room at Const.
Shearer.

"We can't complain," said Const. Landreville. "Because although we go
out a lot, Donny always goes. He goes in first."